Living Liberally Bloghttp://livingliberally.org/blog_feed
Blog FeedsenNot Quite Cruz Controlhttp://livingliberally.org/node/109370
<p>Ted Cruz launched the first official presidential bid,<br />
but his kick-off was mired in website spoofs,<br />
an audience obligated to attend his speech<br />
and news that his family’s going on Obamacare.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, he and his fellow Senate Tea Partiers<br />
have sidelined themselves from serious governance<br />
from Iran negotiations to immigration reform,<br />
stuck instead of slashing Social Security.</p>
<p>And as other GOP contenders get ready,<br />
Jeb confronts the problem right-wingers don’t like him,<br />
Rand deals with the establishment not liking him<br />
and Christie faces the fact that nobody likes him.</p>
<p>And meanwhile, on the Democratic side,<br />
there is still “nobody” running at all. For now.</p>
<p>Presidential politics is rarely on cruise control —<br />
and this week, it definitely wasn’t on Cruz control.</p>
<p>Cruise on out for a chat and a sip,<br />
as you share the news and your views<br />
at your local progressive social club.</p>
<p>DRINKING LIBERALLY<br />
Find - or start - a chapter near you.</p>
http://livingliberally.org/node/109370#commentsdrinkinglivingchris christiecruzdiplomacyDrinking Liberallyelizabeth warrenhillary clintonImmigrationIranjebpresident2016rand paultea partyweekly reminderThu, 26 Mar 2015 13:50:14 -0400Justin Krebs109370 at http://livingliberally.orgSpring in the Air and in Obama’s Stephttp://livingliberally.org/node/109154
<p>While Republicans cast a frozen gaze<br />
on the prospect of peace with Iran,<br />
the President welcomes a new season<br />
as diplomacy nears a nuclear deal.</p>
<p>Conservatives continue to storm<br />
against healthcare and marriage equality,<br />
but gay rights blossom in unlikely states<br />
and new Obamacare enrollees keep blooming.</p>
<p>And despite the GOP’s frigid fuming,<br />
the President keeps taking executive action:<br />
on immigration, financial regulations,<br />
wages and now greenhouse gas emissions.</p>
<p>Republicans are in a winter of discontent,<br />
but for many of us, spring is in the air —<br />
and the spring is back in Obama’s step.</p>
<p>Although if Democrats scuttle diplomacy,<br />
or the President keeps pushing bad trade deals,<br />
we could still expect another cold front.</p>
<p>But for now, enjoy warm conversation,<br />
hot ideas, and cool company<br />
at your local, progressive social club.</p>
<p>DRINKING LIBERALLY<br />
Find - or start - a chapter near you.</p>
http://livingliberally.org/node/109154#commentsdrinkinglivingacadiplomacyDrinking Liberallyenvironmentfinancial regulationsGOPgreenhouse gashealthcareImmigrationIranmarriage equalityObamaobamacarespringtea partytppwagesweekly reminderwinterThu, 19 Mar 2015 10:08:59 -0400Justin Krebs109154 at http://livingliberally.orgIran. We Ran. They’re Off And Running.http://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Iran-We-Ran-They%E2%80%99re-And-Running
<p>As the president runs a historic effort<br />
to reach a nuclear deal with Iran,<br />
the Republicans run to ruin diplomacy<br />
and in doing so, they run off the rails.</p>
<p>Cruz, Rubio, Paul all want to run,<br />
but on Iran, they all ran backwards.<br />
And GOP voters run from Chris Christie,<br />
as Scott Walker walks to the front of the line.</p>
<p>And as she’s chased by email outrage,<br />
“I ran” has different meaning for Clinton,<br />
weighing whether to announce, “I will run.”</p>
<p>The GOP ran and won the Senate,<br />
but they’re running in circles now —<br />
and as they jockey to run for president,<br />
President Obama asserts he still runs the show.</p>
<p>DRINKING LIBERALLY<br />
Find - or start - a chapter near you.</p>
http://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Iran-We-Ran-They%E2%80%99re-And-Running#commentsdrinkinglivingchristiecruzdiplomacyDrinking LiberallyGOPhillary rodham clintonIranObamapresident2016rand paulRepublicansrubioscott walkerweekly reminderThu, 12 Mar 2015 09:42:13 -0400Justin Krebs108943 at http://livingliberally.orgMessage Messhttp://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Message-Mess
<p>Netanyahu tries to mess with US diplomacy,<br />
and delivers a misguided message to Congress,<br />
but in the end, it mucked up the GOP’s march to war<br />
as hawkish Dems turn against Mitch McConnell mayhem.</p>
<p>The DOJ sends mixed messages on Ferguson:<br />
revealing the obvious — bias among their police —<br />
while missing the mark of what felt clear to many:<br />
the need for consequences for killing an unarmed teen.</p>
<p>But the biggest mess might go to the smallest story:<br />
how Hillary Clinton’s efforts to have email privacy<br />
just became the center of endless public scrutiny —<br />
whether it’s legal, ethical and should she have known better.</p>
<p>In a week of misplaced Messianic mischief,<br />
muddled maneuvering and more muckraking,<br />
we’ve had enough messy messages,<br />
and more than enough messed up messengers.</p>
<p>Come out for fresh ideas, free thinking,<br />
feisty fun and flowing liberal libations<br />
at your local progressive social club.</p>
<p>DRINKING LIBERALLY<br />
Find - or start - a chapter near you.</p>
http://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Message-Mess#commentsdrinkinglivingboehnercongressdiplomacyDrinking Liberallyemailfergusonhillary clintonIranisraeljustice departmentMcConnellnetanyahuObamapolicewarweekly reminderThu, 05 Mar 2015 12:17:11 -0500Justin Krebs108720 at http://livingliberally.orgPipelines, Pipe Dreams and Punchlineshttp://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Pipelines-Pipe-Dreams-and-Punchlines
<p>Of all the issues they could choose to tackle,<br />
Republicans fixate on the Keystone pipeline,<br />
which they knew the president would veto —<br />
likely just the first of many vetoes in this new era.</p>
<p>While the president calls for new rules<br />
to protect Americans’ retirement accounts,<br />
the GOP renews efforts to repeal banking reforms,<br />
a move Obama is sure to veto as well.</p>
<p>And while Republican leaders accuse Obama<br />
of being soft on ISIS and not loving America,<br />
the Grant Old Party plays partisan games,<br />
with threats to defund the Department of Homeland Security.</p>
<p>The Republican Party: obsessed with pipelines,<br />
drunk on pipe dreams, and fast becoming punchlines.</p>
<p>Laugh, listen, learn and lift a libation<br />
as we share opinions and an evening<br />
at our local progressive social club.</p>
<p>DRINKING LIBERALLY<br />
Find - or start - a chapter near you.</p>
http://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Pipelines-Pipe-Dreams-and-Punchlines#commentsdrinkinglivingbanksbig oildhsdodd-frankDrinking Liberallyfinancial reformgiulianiGOPisiskeystoneObamapipelinepresidentRepublicansshutdownvetoweekly reminderThu, 26 Feb 2015 10:27:10 -0500Justin Krebs108544 at http://livingliberally.orgThe Winter of Our Malcontentshttp://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Winter-Our-Malcontents
<p>An Alabama judge is pissed at same-sex marriage.<br />
A Texas judge is ticked at compassionate immigration policy.<br />
Rudy Giuliani thinks President Obama doesn’t love America.</p>
<p>Boehner would defund homeland security<br />
over the president’s proposed immigration actions.<br />
The GOP is holding up the Attorney General nominee<br />
for spite, for giggles or for no reason at all.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, killings shock Denmark,<br />
fighting continues in Ukraine,<br />
and the Prez seeks to use military force on ISIS.</p>
<p>Can we get to spring already?<br />
We’re ready for a thaw in our political thinking,<br />
and end to this winter of our malcontents.</p>
<p>If you need to cheer up and speak up, then show up<br />
to share a pint, a night, a booth and a few opinions<br />
at your local progressive social club.</p>
<p>DRINKING LIBERALLY<br />
Find - or start - a chapter near you.</p>
http://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Winter-Our-Malcontents#commentsdrinkinglivingalabamadenmarkDrinking LiberallyGOPimmigratinisismarriage equalityObamaRepublicanstea partytexasukraineweekly reminderwinterThu, 19 Feb 2015 16:58:50 -0500Justin Krebs108378 at http://livingliberally.orgStewart’s Gone — But Satire Goes Onhttp://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Stewart%E2%80%99s-Gone-%E2%80%94-Satire-Goes
<p>A President who rose to prominence<br />
opposing an open-ended Mideast war<br />
is now seeking Congressional authorization<br />
for an open-ended Mideast war.</p>
<p>Republicans stake out turf by fighting for<br />
a polluting pipeline pipe dream in Congress<br />
segregation of same-sex marriage in Alabama<br />
and blocking a popular Attorney General nominee.</p>
<p>While Bush, Cheney and crew went untouched,<br />
the only person who’ll be held accountable<br />
for lies about the Iraq War -- is Brian Williams.</p>
<p>And as we mourn the senseless killing<br />
of three young people in Chapel Hill,<br />
this possible hate crime will likely get less coverage<br />
than Kanye West and 50 Shades of Grey..</p>
<p>Today’s sorry state of affairs will make us miss<br />
Jon Stewart’s gift of laughter all the more.<br />
On the other hand, maybe his job is done —<br />
as the news seems to be becoming its own satire.</p>
<p>Come sigh, cry, laugh, gaffe, share and care<br />
as you raise a glass and raise your your voice<br />
at your local progressive social club.</p>
<p>DRINKING LIBERALLY<br />
Find - or start - a chapter near you.</p>
http://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Stewart%E2%80%99s-Gone-%E2%80%94-Satire-Goes#commentsdrinkinglivingalabamaAttorney Generalaumfbrian williamsBushcheneyComedycongressDaily Showhate crimeIraqiraq warisisislamaphobiaJon Stewartkeystoneloretty lynchmarriage equalitymurdermuslimsObamaSatireThu, 12 Feb 2015 09:26:00 -0500Justin Krebs108181 at http://livingliberally.orgInoculate Against Hypocrisy?http://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Inoculate-Against-Hypocrisy
<p>When Ebola presented a limited threat to America,<br />
GOP leaders ignored science and stoked fears.<br />
Now an outbreak of a beatable disease claims lives<br />
and Republican candidates disseminate misinformation<br />
about the importance of vaccines to preventing deaths.</p>
<p>Jeb and others discover the issue of economic inequality<br />
but Boehner and crew slam progressive tax proposals,<br />
fume at the president for executive actions raising wages,<br />
and focus on — you guessed it — overturning Obamacare.</p>
<p>The Administration claims to honor our values worldwide,<br />
but as the Saudi transition reminds us,<br />
our “close allies” have had their own ties to Al Qaeda,<br />
and human rights abuses on their soil we’ve long ignored.</p>
<p>We hear about vaccines for measles and whooping cough<br />
— is there a vaccine to inoculate against hypocrisy?<br />
If so, event anti-vaxxers would welcome it in Washington.</p>
<p>In the meantime, take a shot we can all agree on —<br />
and follow it with a pint of friendship and discussion<br />
at your local progressive social club.</p>
<p>DRINKING LIBERALLY<br />
Find - or start - a chapter near you.</p>
http://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Inoculate-Against-Hypocrisy#commentsdrinkinglivingal qaedaanti-vaxxersboehnerchris christieDrinking Liberallyebolaeconomic inequalityhypocrisyjebMcConnellmeaslesminimum wageObamaobamacarepresident2016public healthrand paulRepublicanssaudi arabiasicencetaxestea partyvaccineswar on scienceweekly reminderThu, 05 Feb 2015 07:06:24 -0500Justin Krebs107983 at http://livingliberally.orgHeckuva Snow Jobhttp://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Heckuva-Snow-Job
<p>GOP hopefuls play pretend about a new approach,<br />
but at a conservative convening in Iowa,<br />
they keep up their cultural crusades<br />
against gay rights, women's equality and immigrants.</p>
<p>The Tea Party rails against Obamacare<br />
even as Indiana Republicans expand Medicaid,<br />
and Boehner and McConnell admit they don't<br />
have any ideas of what to replace Obamacare with.</p>
<p>And maybe the word "inequality" is on the lips<br />
of Mitt, Jeb, Ted Cruz and Rand Paul --<br />
yet paid sick leave, minimum wage and free college,<br />
are all treated as DOA by the GOP in DC.</p>
<p>We may not have gotten a historic blizzard this week,<br />
but there's still been one heckuva snow job<br />
-- and we're gonna be digging out for a long time.</p>
<p>In the meantime, raise a cool drink with warm company<br />
as you laugh, listen, learn and share libations<br />
at your local, progressive social club.</p>
<p>DRINKING LIBERALLY<br />
Find - or start - a chapter near you.</p>
http://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/Heckuva-Snow-Job#commentsdrinkinglivingaffordable careblizzardBushcommunity collegecruzDrinking Liberallyfree collegehealth careindianaIowajebmedicaidminimum wagemittObamaobamacarepaid sick leavepresident2016rand paulromneysnowstate of the uniontea partyweekly reminderThu, 29 Jan 2015 10:24:04 -0500Justin Krebs107768 at http://livingliberally.orgAmeriCans but RepubliCan’tshttp://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/AmeriCans-RepubliCan%E2%80%99ts
<p>AmeriCans but RepubliCan’ts</p>
<p>In the State of the Union, the President announced<br />
that Americans can now look ahead with new hope.<br />
But can Republicans move past defunding Obamacare,<br />
blocking women’s rights and their pipeline obsession?</p>
<p>The Prez said together we can make a new economy<br />
with paid sick leave, a higher minimum wage,<br />
free higher education, and a fairer tax code.<br />
Can the GOP get past tax breaks for the super-rich?</p>
<p>And on the 5th Anniversary of Citizens United,<br />
millions of us said we can get big money out of politics.<br />
Yet can the recipients of dark, unregulated money<br />
say no right-wing billionaires and corporate donors?</p>
<p>We know we’re a great country —<br />
and maybe now we have a president ready to fight.<br />
Americans will show a can-do spirit,<br />
but will The Party of No learn to say yes?</p>
<p>Or will Americans contend with Republican’ts?</p>
<p>“Yes, we can” enjoy company and conversation,<br />
lifting liberal values and libations<br />
at your local, progressive social club.</p>
<p>Find - or start - a chapter near you.</p>
http://livingliberally.org/drinking/blog/AmeriCans-RepubliCan%E2%80%99ts#commentsdrinkinglivingbig moneycampaign financecitizens unitedCollegeDrinking Liberallyeconomyfree community collegeGOPkeystoneminimum wageObamaobamacareovertimepaid sick leaveparty of nopipelineRepublicanssotutaxestea partyweekly reminderwomen&#039;s rightsThu, 22 Jan 2015 09:42:15 -0500Justin Krebs107582 at http://livingliberally.org